List of Political Prisoners Updated

Baku / 20.11.17 / Turan: The human rights, political prisoners, trials and facts of torture in places of detention were discussed at the regular meeting of the Political Prisoners Defense Center (PPDC). The main topic of the discussion was the continuing politically motivated arrests, as well as updating the list of political prisoners.

As a result of the discussions, a decision was made to exclude Suraj Agayev arrested in 2012 from the list because of his release. At the same time, the following persons were added to the list: Ahsan Nuruzadeh, activist of the Muslim Unity Movement, whose arrest was politically motivated, Ziya Asadli, the zonal correspondent of the Azadlig newspaper, the journalist Mahbub Zulfugarli, as well as protesters against the rise in food prices in Siyazan on January 12-13, 2016, Muslim Agali Oglu Azimov, Elchin Sadig Oglu Aliyev and others (total 11 people). It was also decided to continue work on prisoners whose arrest is allegedly politically motivated.

With the latest changes, the number of political prisoners is 159 people.

The participants condemned the blocking of 10 websites, the restriction of freedom of assembly (the authorities" refusal to authorize protests for various reasons), the liquidation of the institution of legal representation, the removal of lawyers protecting political prisoners from the Bar Association, as well as the pressure on members of the families of political emigrants participating in protests in Europe, their dismissal from work, and renunciation of kinship.

It was decided that PPDC would continue the investigation in this direction, collecting the due materials and making the due analysis. A report will be prepared for the local and international public, the relevant institutions and the interested parties. -0--